The Battle of Shedwan (Arabic: معركة شدوان, Hebrew: קרב שדונ) is a confrontation that took place in Shdwan Island in January 1970 between a company of Egyptian Sa'ka Forces and a battalion of Israeli soldiers. The battle is described by Al Ahram newspaper as heroic and immortal for the Egyptian soldiers. It is celebrated annually as the Red Sea Governorate's national anniversary.
Contents
Attack
The battle started on 22 January 1970, when the Israeli forces attacked the island, which witnessed the resistance of the island's residents and the army soldiers as the Israeli forces made a huge attack on the island by air and sea and attacked the houses of the directors of the lighthouse.
Resistance of the residents
There was a company of infantry and naval soldiers for guarding the lighthouse which is located in the south of the Island and although of the Israeli Forces intervention for the residents, they didn't give up delivering the weapons, ammunition and supplies from Hurghada's beach to Shdwan Island.
Battle
The battle lasted between the Israeli battalion and the Sa'ka officers, which led to casualties in the Israeli forces which includes projection of two jets, but the Israeli forces continued their headway towards the Guard sites in the south of the island and bombed them but the Egyptian forces refused to surrender. The Israeli advance didn't last long although of the Israeli numerical advantage, the supplies they failed in taking full control of the island as the Israeli battalion had to withdraw from some parts of the island.
Egyptian attack
On the next day, 23 January 1970, the Egyptian air force attacked the sites that the Israeli forces could control with help of the Egyptian Navy forces, which led to the Israeli withdraw from the island.